This year, 2010, marks the Golden Jubilee or Suvarna Mahotsav of the BAPS Swaminarayan Sanstha in Uganda. It commemorates the 50 years since Yogiji Maharaj inaugurated the mandirs in the cities of Kampala, Jinja and Tororo in Uganda in 1960.
A memorable four-day celebration was organized with great enthusiasm and fanfare to commemorate the 50th patotsav of Kampala Mandir.
On Saturday, 12 June 2010, in a special assembly of 750 devotees, Yogiji Maharaj’s effort in spreading satsang beyond the shores of India was well presented through a debate by the youths.
On 13 June 2010, a symbolic celebration of Yogiji Maharaj’s birthday was held. About 850 devotees attended the sabha in which kishores and yuvaks sang bhajans extolling Yogiji Maharaj’s glory, saintliness, and the eternal values of samp, suradhaybhav and ekta so often emphasized by Yogiji Maharaj.
On 14 June 2010, a symbolic Pramukh Varni Din celebration to commemorate the 60th anniversary of Pramukh Swami Maharaj’s appointment by Shastriji Maharaj as President of BAPS was held with great devotion. Sadhus, yuvaks and kishores all sang the glory of Guru Pramukh Swami Maharaj through bhajans and short stirring speeches. Approximately 1,100 devotees attended the sabha.
On 15 June 2010, over 1,400 devotees attended the 50th patotsav of Kampala Mandir which was celebrated with great devotion. The celebration began with the morning arti at 6:45 a.m. followed by mahapuja at 8:00 a.m. in which many devotees participated. Sadhus conducted the Vedic mahapuja rituals and prayed for Swamishri’s continued good health, world peace, the spiritual, personal and professional progress of devotees and the success of the Suvarna Mahotsav to be held in December 2010.
At about 10:00 a.m. sadhus performed abhishek of the murtis with saffron-scented water. Then a grand annakut of 1,227 pure vegetarian food items was offered to the murtis. After sadhus and youths had sang the thal, a small assembly took place in which kishores performed a spectacular dance. Thereafter the patotsav arti was performed.